Love Is

The Complex
Through June 26

Photo by Lee Turnbull

Beginning with a Candid Camera-style video in which people on the street as well as cast members in character are asked to try and define love, writer-director Lee Turnbull’s play introduces us to married couple Lee (Turnbull) and Emily (Molly Beucher) as they confront the reality that it is nearly impossible for them to naturally produce a baby together, and the emotional fallout this revelation brings to their relationship.

Though the performances feel genuine and believable, the play as a whole suffers from questionable writing choices: After a drawn out argument between Emily and Lee, where tension rises then falls erratically multiple times, the rest of the play is almost entirely devoted to Emily’s progression and inner-conflict over her choices. The play’s short running time, numerous moments of emotional uncertainty, soul searching, and then surprisingly clear self-analysis on Emily’s part all makes the revelations – and the moral that love is complicated — feel rushed and contrived, though this is definitely a work-in-progress with potential. – Reza Vojdani

The Complex, 6470 Santa Monica Boulevard. Fri-Sun Select times, Jun 14-26. https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/1754?details

The Trial of Dali

Lounge Theater
Through June 28

Playwright Andrew Jacob aims to give us a look into the true nature of the famous surrealist artist, Salvador Dali (Patrick Ian Moore), who is, according to the program note, inspired by his “true internal properties, entangles with his multiple personas, [and] multiple problems.” Billed as a surrealist farce, the show depicts fictional events surrounding Dali’s return to Spain in 1948, where Dali stands accused of artistic crimes and faces a subsequent trial.

The borderline absurd and arguably surreal trial plays host to a number of courtroom tropes — a passionate prosecutor (Cassondra Vincent), an eclectic judge (John Moschitta, Jr.) , a bumbling guard (Larry Blackman) as well as numerous well-known celebrities of the time such as Andy Warhol (Rigg Kennedy) and Pablo Picasso (Emilio Borelli). In the end however, the progression of events feels like little more than a conduit for jokes, many of which fall flat, based on alleged acts that characterized Dali’s life.

While the combining of surrealism with theatrical farce is worth exploring, The Trial of Dali ends up sacrificing compelling or even coherent narrative for little more reward than an occasional chuckle, and the desire to fact-check the play in order to learn more about Salvador Dali’s life. Trace Oakley directs.—Reza Vojdani

Lounge Theatre, 6201 Santa Monica Boulevard. Fri-Sat Select times, Jun 13-28. https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/1812?details

These reviews are offered via a partnership between L.A. Weekly and Stage Raw. To maximize coverage of the Hollywood Fringe Festival, the two publications are sharing reviews and funding responsibilities. Stage Raw is an Emerge Project of the Pasadena Arts Council, with other funding coming from a combination of advertising and individual donors.  For the L.A. Weekly, please visit www.laweekly.com